Study 3: Hagar, Part 2

Both Ishmael’s actions and Sarah’s words in Genesis 21:9-10 indicate that Abraham’s household was a cauldron of conflict. Ishmael jealously resented the step-brother who now monopolized Abraham’s attention and claimed his love. Sarah’s words indicate that she had never viewed Ishmael as her son; he had always been that slave woman’s son. She most likely resented Abraham’s love for Ishmael and bristled whenever he treated Hagar kindly.

What did Hagar think? The Hebrew word used in Genesis 16:4-5, qalal, implies that Hagar treated Sarah with contempt. We might say she “looked down her nose” at Sarah. (The picture that comes to my mind is Bernadette Peters as Cinderella’s step-mother.) Apparently, Sarah responded to Hagar with similar disdain.

Why did Hagar stay? Where else could she go? According to Genesis 16:3, she was married to Abraham. Abraham loved Ishmael. For years, Ishmael had been the only heir to Abraham’s fortune. Why would Hagar relinquish her son’s rights? Sarah could despise her, but Sarah had no authority to get rid of her. Only Abraham had that right. And he wasn’t about to give up his only son.

However, once Isaac was born, the dynamics in the home changed drastically. In the 2-3 years that passed between Isaac’s birth and his weaning, Hagar may have been reduced to slave status again. Her son’s heirship evaporated. Both Ishmael and Hagar saw a whirlwind of disaster headed their way.

Read Genesis 21:1-21

1. Hagar really had no one to turn to other than Abraham for protection and security.

In Genesis 21:12-13, God tells Abraham to send Hagar away. Why do you think

God did that?

2. In Galatians 4:21-11, Paul uses Ishmael as a symbol of the law and Isaac as a symbol of grace. What point is he trying to make in these verses?

3. God never recognized Hagar as Abraham’s wife even though his marriage to her was culturally acceptable (Compare Genesis 25:10 with 25:12). What conclusions can we draw from that?

4. Some of the hardship that Hagar faced was self-inflicted, but much of it was the result of Abraham’s and Sarah’s wrongdoing. God mercifully saved her life and Ishmael’s life at least two times. Although Isaiah 54 is specifically speaking about Israel, it symbolically addresses women who find themselves in situations similar to Hagar’s. What does God say in these verses?

5. After verse 21, Hagar is never mentioned in the Bible again. What happened to Ishmael? Read Genesis 25:9-18 for “the rest of the story.”

6. According to Genesis 21:11, Abraham was “greatly distressed” when God told him that Hagar and Ishamel had to go. According to Warren Wiersbe, the Hebrew word means “to shake violently.” Being separated from the son he loved was very painful. Have you had to let someone you love go? How has God comforted you during such a sorrowful time?

Conclusion:

Like most women, Hagar loved her son. She fiercely protected his rights and what she believed would make him happy. She also tried to protect what few rights she had as a second wife. She had good intentions; however, she made several poor decisions.

Hagar found herself homeless, jobless, and friendless at least two times. In both instances, God Himself became her rescuing knight, not because she deserved to be rescued but because He loved Hagar and her son. God provided—not the life she may have wanted, but the life He deemed best.

God truly is El Roi, the God who sees. He is also the God who hears us when we cry out to him. Sometimes His answers are puzzling, but His ways are always right.

The path He chooses for us may seem unattractive or even dangerous, but He promises to bring us safely home.

Isn’t it comforting to know that one Egyptian slave woman was precious in His sight? So are you. So am I.

Thought for the Week: Security is not a place or even an attitude; security is an effect produced by the reality of God’s sovereignty and His love.

Study Three: Hagar, Part 1

It's tempting, isn't it, to label Hagar a "sinful indulgence" and Ishmael, a "mistake"? However, God did not treat either one of them with that kind of calloused contempt. In fact, He deliberately, miraculously reaches out to them, blessing them with His favor and extending His covenant with Abraham to include these two outcasts.

 

I don't think any Old Testament story conveys God's love for the downtrodden quite as poignantly as Hagar's does. She was merely a foreign slave, probably given to Abraham and Sarai by Pharoah during their sojourn in Egypt (Gen. 12:16). Though Abraham's household included dozens of servants, Sarai chose just one to be the cornerstone of her plan to "help God out" and provide an heir for her husband.

 

Hagar would have had no choice at all in the matter. Ironic, isn't it? As soon as Sarai determined to take charge of her own life, she began to oppress someone else. But Hagar was not fool. As soon as she realized she was pregnant, she began to assert her own rights as "bearer of the heir.? The cat fights began. The harmony in Abraham's home lay in shambles for more than fifteen years until God finally said to Abraham, "Let them go. Let me take are of them" (Gen. 21:12-13).

 

Most of us can identify with Hagar. All she really wanted was security - a home, a steady income, a future for her son. Unfortunately, she searched for physical, emotional, and spiritual safety in all the wrong places. Mercifully, God sought her out and gave her "immeasurably more" than she had ever imagined (Eph. 3:20).

 

READ GENESIS 16:1-16

 

1. When you read that Hagar "began to despise her mistress" (Gen. 16:4), do you sympathize with Hagar or do you condemn her? Why or why not?

 

2. Respecting those who mistreat us is challenging, to say the least. What advice does Paul give servants/slaves in Ephesians 6:5-9? When does "mistreatment" become abuse? What should twenty-first century Christians do in situations similar to Hagar's?

 

3. Genesis 16:3 records the first biblical appearance of "the angel of the LORD." For more information about the identity of this individual, read Judges 2:1-4, 6:21-22, and 13:13-21. Who do you think this angel is?

 

4. In Genesis 16:13, Hagar gave God a new name: El Roi, "the God who sees me." Why do you think she does this? What name would you give God?

 

5. At least 16 years elapse between Genesis 16:15 and Genesis 21:9. What do you think Hagar's life was like during that time? Why do you think God insisted that she return to Ahram's home?

 

6. Isaiah 55:8-9 reminds us that God doesn't think like we think or do what we think He should. I'm sure Hagar often second-guessed her decision to remain in Abraham's household, but she was exactly where God wanted her to be. How about you? Do you wonder why God has put you where you are right now? Are you second guessing His management of your life? What truths do you cling to during such puzzling times?

 

Study Two: Sarai, Part 2

Maybe she grew impatient. Maybe she never quite recovered from Abram’s bizarre behavior during their Egyptian sojourn. Maybe she just gave in to despair.
Whatever the reason, in Genesis 16 Sarai certainly began to live out the meaning of her name, “contentious.”

She was 75 years old. No baby was going to be born of her womb, she concluded. It was definitely time to take matters into her own hands. So she went to Abram with a culturally approved plan. “Take Hagar, my Egyptian handmaid as a second wife. Let her bear you a child in my name. It’s all we can do now,” she advised.

The need to control her life had become an obsession. She most likely badgered Abram until he agreed to her plan. Unfortunately, her grand scheme unraveled into a heap of bitterness, malice, and abusive behavior. The cacophony of Sarai’s actions still echo in the seething cauldron of hatred that we now label “the Arab-Israeli conflict.”

Why did God permit such a thing to happen? Why did He allow Hagar to become pregnant so quickly when He had denied Sarai that privilege for 60 years? We don’t know. What we do know is that God forgave both Abram and Sarai for their lack of faith. Although God waited fourteen years, He renewed His covenant with Abram in Genesis 17. He gave Abram and Sarai new names—Abraham (father of a multitude) and Sarah (princess). And in Genesis 21, at the age of 90, Sarah delivered a son, Isaac.

Read Genesis 16:1-18:15 and Genesis 21:1-21

1. Sarai’s plan was not just culturally acceptable, it was culturally sanctioned. If a man’s first wife was barren, he had the legal right to bear an heir by either a concubine or a second wife. Sarai gave Abram her approval to take Hagar as a wife (Gen. 16:3). Obviously, we don’t do that sort of thing in the twenty-first century. What would be culturally sanctioned acts for twenty-first century Christians that New Testament teaching would consider wrong?

2. When Hagar becomes pregnant, Sarai blames Abram (Gen. 16:5). I make a similar mistake when I blame others for my wrong responses/attitudes. What do you think Sarai should have done?

3. Are you surprised that God renews the covenant in Genesis 17 in spite of Abram’s and Sarai’s disobedience regarding Hagar? Why or why not? (Consider God’s words in Isaiah 43:1-7 and 45:3-6).

4. I chuckle as I read that Sarah was eavesdropping in Genesis 18:10. It’s so human! She also laughs (scoffs) at the idea that she will bear a son even though God assures Abraham that she will (v. 12). Have you ever shaken your head in disbelief regarding one of God’s promises? Has he been faithful to the promise anyway? In what way?

5. Sarah’s words in Genesis 21:9-10 could not be more venomous. They reveal an unforgiving, bitter spirit that had festered inside her for more than years. Hebrews 12:15 cautions believers about the destructive “root” of bitterness. What “pesticides” does the writer of Hebrews recommend in Hebrews 12:14?

6. Family conflicts can be excruciating. In Ephesians 4, Paul gives the church of Ephesus some advice on solving conflicts in a godly manner. What does he say in verses 14-32? What aspect of his advice is most helpful to you?

Conclusion: Like most humans, Sarai wanted to feel as though she could control her life. The more helpless she felt, the more obsessed she became with control. Ultimately, she decided the best way to meet her need was to “take charge.” When she did, she failed miserably, creating conflicts that have trickled down through the centuries.

But our God is a gracious God. He compassionately rerouted Sarah’s road to bring great good to Sarah’s family and her descendents. Next week we will see how God shed His love, grace, and mercy on both Hagar and her son Ishmael.

Isaac brought great joy to his mother. His name, which means “he laughs” indicates that Sarah learned to laugh at herself. However, her attitude toward her step-son Ishmael and his mother imply that she had some rough edges on her spirit that may never have been completely smoothed out.

Sarai died when Isaac was 37, before he married. Consequently, she never knew that her grandson Jacob inherited her “scheme gene.” I wonder if she would have recognized her image so obviously stamped on his character?!

Study Two: Sarai, Part 1

She walks onto the biblical stage as if she were a bit player—identified simply as the daughter-in-law of a wealthy farmer/herdsman, the wife of one of his sons (Gen. 11:29-31). That should not surprise us. Almost all women who lived in Sarai’s day were merely the daughters, wives, or mothers of one man or another.

For Sarai, this fact was particularly painful. What gave a woman significance was her ability to produce a male heir—not her beauty, and certainly not her brain. Sarai had remarkable beauty; she was so beautiful that Abimelech wanted her as a member of his harem when she was 89! Her husband, Abram, was apparently devoted to her, for even though Sarai was barren, he did not take a second wife, not even a concubine, until Sarai herself forced him to do so. Nevertheless, her infertility reduced her to an object of pity and disdain in the eyes of her peers.

Sarai grew up on the outskirts of a major city—Ur. At the time, Ur was a center of civilization and religion, a port city that proudly boasted about its temple to the moon god, Nannar. Almost everyone Sarai knew worshipped either Nannar or some other idol, everyone, that is, except her husband, Abram.

The God who identified himself as YAHWEH appeared to Abram in a vision (Acts 7:2-3). He told Abram to leave Ur and his family. “Go where I tell you, to Canaan, and there I will make of you a great nation.” Abram convinced his father and a few other family members to go with him (Gen. 11:31-12:5).

So Sarai, who controlled so little of her life, at age 65 left the world she knew and followed her husband to a distant land. Perhaps she resented the move. Perhaps she felt only relief—at least she and Abram would escape the constant ridicule prompted by their inability to conceive a child. What we know is that Sarai was considered a submissive wife (1 Pet. 3:5-6). That is where our study of Sarai begins.

Read Genesis 11:27-12:20

1. Think about all the things that Sarai could not control in her life. Then consider all the aspects of your life that you cannot control. How difficult is that for you? Do the truths of Matthew 6:25-34 comfort you or annoy you? Why?

2. Sarai had probably been praying for a child since the day she married, yet at 65 she was still childless (she remained barren until she was 89). Unanswered prayers can deflate our faith quickly, especially when we are praying for something we perceive to be “good” for us. What do you think is a biblical response to unanswered prayers? (Meditate on Isaiah 50:10; Micah 7:7-8)

3. God required that Abram and Sarai leave the “familiar” and venture into the “unknown.” Why do you think He did that? Has He ever asked you to make a similar sacrifice? What was the outcome?

4. Soon after Abram and Sarai settled in the Negev, famine struck. He decided to go to Egypt (Gen. 12:10). Was that an act of faith or an act of fear? Why? (Read Isaiah 30:1-5, 15-18 for some insight)

5. Sarai had little choice in the decision to go to Egypt or the decision to deceive Pharoah. Do you ever feel trapped like that? What do you think would be a godly response for someone in situation similar to Sarai’s? (Consider Daniel 1:8-20; 1 Peter 3: 1-6). How did God intervene?

6. In Hebrews 11, the great Hall of Faith, verses 8-19 are devoted to Abraham. Sarah is the subject of verse 11 (Note: only the NIV has Abraham as the subject of verse 11’s sentence. All other versions place Sarah’s name in the subject position). What could the absence of her name in verses 8-10 indicate about her faith before she conceived Isaac?

The Women of Genesis: Eve, Part 2

Study One: Eve, Part II

Eve was vulnerable to Satan precisely because she was sinless.  He came disguised as an "angel of light," a messenger of God.  He spoke a message she wanted to hear:  you can be like God and know everything.  She didn't detect evil because she had never encountered evil.

Satan knew his deception would work simply because it had worked on him. He, too, aspired to be like God (Isa. 14). He, too, wanted knowledge beyond what his creator had given him. He, too, allowed his heart to desire what God had forbidden.

Paul makes it clear in 2 Corinthians that Eve’s flaw was naiveté. Her sin was unbelief. She doubted God’s word. She then disobeyed because she questioned His goodness. Apparently, Adam never doubted the truth of God’s word. Most commentators agree that Adam sinned willfully in direct defiance of God’s command.

Both Adam and Eve compounded their initial sins by trying to hide them, by professing innocence, and by blaming someone else. As James M. Boice and Warren Wiersbe noted in their commentaries on Genesis 3, the knowledge of evil brought Adam and Eve three new experiences: guilt, shame and fear. (Certainly not what Eve had expected!)

Adam and Eve’s actions after they sinned illustrate the wrong response to sin in our lives. Studying God’s remedy for sin shows us how to restore our relationship with God when we go astray.

 

1. How does Eve react when God confronts her? How does Adam respond? How do you react when the Holy Spirit convicts you?

2. 1 John 1:9 gives us the pattern for repentance. John says we must “confess” our sins. “Confession” and “remorse” are not synonyms. What do you think the difference is? (See 2 Cor. 7:9-10)

3. God’s remedy for sin is given in Genesis 3: 14-24. What do His actions reveal about both judgment and redemption? (Contrast his response to the serpent with his response to Adam and Eve)

4. What advice do you think Eve would give you about the feeling that “something’s missing” in your life?

5. Eve wanted “the knowledge of good and evil.” She thought the fruit would make her wise. What does Solomon say about the source of wisdom in Proverbs 1: 7? What do you think he means by “the fear of the LORD”?

6. Our culture uses two clichés to extol the virtues of knowledge and experience. How often have you heard that “knowledge is power” and “experience is the best teacher” What would be a biblical response to those philosophies?

Conclusion:

Satan convinced Eve that God was “holding out” on her. He often tries that same tactic on us. James 1:17 and Psalm 84:11 tell a different story—all good things come from God. C. S. Lewis put it this way: “The source of every good thing is God. That there could be any other good is an atheistic dream.”

Satan also uses God’s good gifts to lure us into sin. He promises to provide love, security, knowledge, and significance, but he cannot deliver them. They aren’t his gifts to give.

Meditating on God’s Word is one way we develop a proper fear of God—a reverential trust that motivates us to willingly obey his commands. When we are tempted to doubt the truth of God’s word or the certainty of His goodness, we can meditate on Scriptures such as James 1:17 and Psalm 84:11.

Thought for the Week: If it is truly good for us, God will give it to us.

The Women of Genesis: Eve, Part 1

Study One: Eve, Part I

She had a husband who loved her as purely and completely as a man could. She communed with God every day. She enjoyed perfect health, and her beauty had no equal.

Eve lived a life that would make a fairy tale princess envious. It certainly appeals to me - no laundry, no bathrooms to clean, no cooking. Yet hidden beneath that cloak of perfection was a voice that whispered in her soul, "Something's missing. There must be more."

We do not know how long the voice haunted her. We only know that it eventually took the shape of a breathtaking creature, a serpent, who made the voice audible, visible, and irresistible.

For every woman who has berated herself for being stupid, foolish or naive, Eve becomes a comfort. After all, she had everything - absolute perfection,unparalleled love, unrestricted fellowship with God. Yet she risked it and lost it because of a promise that she could have more: "you will be like God knowing good and evil" (Gen.3:4)

What beckoned Eve most persuasively was the promise of knowledge - the ability to understand everything, to figure it all out, and thereby master it. She became, in essence, the first rationalist, the first human to conclude that knowledge produces happiness, success, and fulfillment.

Genesis 3:6 reveals Eve's logical, but erroneous, thought process: the fruit was good for food, pleasing to the eye, and desirable for gaining wisdom. Three good outcomes. Three wrong motives.

We can all identify with Eve. We have all traveled the "seemed like a good idea at the time" highway. We've all made the left turn onto the "what could be wrong with that" exit ramp.

This week we will study Adam's and Eve's mistakes Next week we will look at God's remedy.

Read Genesis 2-3.

1. What strikes you most about the life Eve lived before the Fall? Is your life in any way similar to hers? What makes it different from yours?

2. What does Genesis 3:1 reveal about the serpent's character and tactics? What does 2 Corinthians 11:3, 14-15 reveal about Satan's character and tactics?

3. Most conservative scholars agree that Isaiah 14:12-15 and Ezekiel 28:11-15 are descriptions of Lucifer. What light do these passages shed on his ability to deceive a sinless woman?

4. What mistakes does Eve make in Genesis 3 when she converses with the serpent? How can we avoid those mistakes? (Compare God's words in 2:16-17 with the serpent's words and Eve's words in 3:1-4)

5. Paul makes it clear in Romans 5:12-19 that sin entered the human race because of Adam's disobedience. Why isn't Eve included?

6. What advice would you have given Eve if you had been standing next to her as Adam was? (Gen. 3:6)